[Amanda S.]

Well, this is an interesting thread...I've just skimmed the numerous posts and while I'd like to return to the original question, I'd also like to offer my 2 cents on the hijacked part of the thread.

The whole context of II Corinthians 6 is separation. Basically avoid the wrong crowd...on many levels. The carnal Corinthians just could not get this right. Constantly hanging with false teachers and the like.

Verse 14 is probably the definitive verse used to prove that an unbeliever and a believer should not marry.

A yoke causes the 2 harnessed to go in the same direction. Where one goes, so goes the other. I am reminded of Amos 3:3 -

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

This can be true for so many other situations...jobs, military, school...any place where you put yourself under the authority of another.

So many of us (my self included) can obviously take this thought to extremes.

One certainly should avoid an alliance with an unbeliever because as a believer you will not only cause problems for yourself but the Body of Christ.

v. 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

One should be careful making rules that aren't there. I saw no where that anyone on here supported, recommended, suggested, counseled, etc that it was a good idea to marry an unbeliever.

Having said that however, I am certainly teaching my children and anyone that is under my influence that it is NOT good to yoke yourself to an unbeliever, not only in marriage, but in other areas of life. If married to an unbeliever one will certainly have heartache, I've seen horrendous situations where 1 spouse was saved and the other not. I believe the outcome would certainly be a sowing/reaping situation, but I am not suggesting the Lord will condemn such a marriage but just the natural progression of things. There are many things that we do that have negative consequences, but are not a direct punishment from the Lord.

As Dr. Ruckman has said many times our standards should be to get saved, believe the Book, spend time reading the Book, pray and surrender when the Lord deals with you through His Word.

[Amanda S.]

What I was dealing with is IF a saved Christian man or woman HAS married a lost person, there is no “penalty” or “condemnation” of that marriage after it is consummated.

No, but I'm sure we can agree that they will have to give an account for their actions in marrying an unbeliever at The Judgment.

The saved man or woman clearly was out of the will of the Lord in marrying a lost person,

Amen.

but once they are married, the lost spouse is “sanctified” by the saved spouse; and we Christians should NOT be looking down our noses at the marriage – because God has SANCTIFIED it.

Agreed. As I stated earlier, I got lost in the thread, but was someone suggesting that we should?

We had better be mighty careful (just because we may have “good” marriages), that we don’t go around judging Christians that may have ignorantly or willfully married a lost person.

Ignorantly married a lost person...sure, I'll give you that.

Willfully? James 4:17 comes to mind.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

While it's not up to us to shake a finger, scowl and judge, it will be judged as sin by God. I don't believe as a state of sin, but a single act of sin.

So WHAT BUSINESS IS IT of ours to “CRITICIZE” these marriages, or the saved Christian who entered into such a marriage? IT'S STILL A MARRIAGE!

Surely no one argued differently?

Who knows? “For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” [1 Corinthians 7:16]

Interestingly I have heard this quoted a time or 2 in defense of marrying an unbeliever in attempts to win them to the Lord.

[Amanda S.]

To quote myself:

One should be careful making rules that aren't there.

While that's true, that was supposed to be edited out.

[PaulB]

The way that I see it Amanda (being married to a lady from Pakistan) is that the Lord did not allow the Israelis to intermarry with those of other nations for a number of reasons.

1) God had separated them from other nations as His own people because He was sworn to them by covenant, which meant that they were there to reflect His name & nature on earth.

2) If they would have intermarried (as some did) then they would have been enticed to go after other gods and thus reflect the heathen abominations that they had been separated from (which they ended up doing and it often lead to them being chastised).

But in Christ (whether Jew or Gentile) all people are made one new man in Christ!

God separated the nations at Babel because they were intent on building a global empire of one people and one language with ungodly intentions. God separated them for a reason (and that reason was clear) mankind can never come together for good outside of Christ – but in Christ it is a far different story.

God has wrought miracles in our marriage (even before day one!) – we have a son and a whole unique testimony.

Hope this is an additional help to the many replies that you have had (it must have taken you a day to read them!)

God bless

PaulB

[greenbear]

Amanda's

The whole context of II Corinthians 6 is separation. Basically avoid the wrong crowd...on many levels. The carnal Corinthians just could not get this right. Constantly hanging with false teachers and the like.

Verse 14 is probably the definitive verse used to prove that an unbeliever and a believer should not marry.

A yoke causes the 2 harnessed to go in the same direction. Where one goes, so goes the other. I am reminded of Amos 3:3 -

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Smarts is not always discernment. Don't take offense. I like you a lot. But from what I've read you don't always look at the big picture.


2 Cor 6:14 is not about marriage.

There's enough written about marriage... we don't need to import incidental verses to support our position that it is not God's will that believers marry unbelievers.

Biblical marriage is not about being yoked together. It is about being joined together. It was to His Jewish disciples that Jesus said, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. I don't believe this applies to us, but even if it did, Jesus is the plowman. We are not "yoked" with Him. Christian marriage is a similitude of Christ and His church. We are joined. We are in Him, and He is in us. There is no yoking, there is a joining of ourselves to Christ.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Whether old time Bible commentators, pastors or Bible teachers, or ourselves try to apply the analogy of yoking to the marriage relationship, it is just plain wrong. It destroys the true analogy that Christ and Paul gave of being joined to Christ, being in Christ. We are not yoked to Christ. We are not doing works along side Him. We are doing works in Him.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Who are we to say what God can or can't do when a believer marries an unbeliever? How many times do each one of us sin every single day of our lives? Are we to be hypocrites? His ultimate purpose, I firmly believe, is not to have us follow a set of rules, but to take out of the gentiles a people for his name.

I have noticed in my life that He sometimes does it in unorthodox ways.

[greenbear]

His ultimate purpose, I firmly believe, is not to have us follow a set of rules, but to take out of the gentiles a people for his name.

I was editing this sentence but my computer crashed.

I would like to change it to say:

His ultimate purpose in this dispensation, I firmly believe, is not to have us follow a set of rules, but to take out of the gentiles (and Jews who will believe Pauls' gospel of grace) a people for his name.

[greenbear]

Interestingly I have heard this quoted a time or 2 in defense of marrying an unbeliever in attempts to win them to the Lord.

I believe you are mistaken if you're insinuating that's how this verse was used in this thread by either George or myself.

[Amanda S.]

Quote:
Interestingly I have heard this quoted a time or 2 in defense of marrying an unbeliever in attempts to win them to the Lord.
I believe you are mistaken.

You believe I am mistaken that I have heard this verse as an excuse to marry an unbeliever?

[greenbear]

That's not what I said.

[Amanda S.]

Biblical marriage is not about being yoked together. It is about being joined together.

True that marriage is being joined together. But consider this Scripture:

1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Would you say that according to the Word that marriage is also a bondage? You are bound to your mate?

Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

Here breaking a yoke is breaking a bond. There are other such verses that equate a yoke with servitude.

Jesus is the plowman. We are not "yoked" with Him.

Agreed.

It destroys the true analogy that Christ and Paul gave of being joined to Christ, being in Christ.

And marrying an unbeliever doesn't destroy that analogy?

Who are we to say what God can or can't do when a believer marries an unbeliever? How many times do each one of us sin every single day of our lives? Are we to be hypocrites?

I don't think I ever said that...this is what I said:

James 4:17 comes to mind.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

While

, it will be judged as sin by God. I don't believe as a state of sin, but a single act of sin.

I also said,

If married to an unbeliever one will certainly have heartache, I've seen horrendous situations where 1 spouse was saved and the other not. I believe the outcome would certainly be a sowing/reaping situation, but I am not suggesting the Lord will condemn such a marriage but just the natural progression of things. There are many things that we do that have negative consequences, but are not a direct punishment from the Lord.

Are you saying that it's good to marry an unbeliever?

Oh yeah as to this comment,

Smarts is not always discernment. Don't take offense. I like you a lot. But from what I've read you don't always look at the big picture.

Forgive me. Perhaps you'd like to show me the bigger picture. Feel free when I offer my simplistic posts to either pass over them or bring me alongside..."Now Amanda, you've got some good points but let me show you the bigger picture" I welcome you to.

Kinds reminds me of the ole Southern "bless their heart"...LoL One can say whatever they wish as long as you end it by saying "bless their heart"